Starke County moved into the national spotlight when the new Oprah Winfrey Network, OWN, featured a series on “Women Behind Bars.” One of the women featured was Lisa Owens, who, a decade earlier, had taken the life of her husband in Knox. Owens told of life behind bars and her hope for early release from prison for the shooting. That wish was granted when Owens received an early release. She was paroled into the custody of a sister, who did not live in the county. The story evoked many emotional comments on the WKVI Discussion Board arguing the pros and cons of her early release.

America got it’s first extensive look at Lisa Owens last night on the OWN Network show, “Breaking Down the Bars.” Owens, who is serving a Voluntary Manslaughter sentence at the Rockville Correctional Facility, is due to be released in May under a sentence modification.

Owens was convicted of killing her husband Jeff in their Knox home in 2001. She was sentenced to 40 years.

“Breaking Down the Bars” continues tonight on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Now in work release, Amanda gets busted for spending time with her new boyfriend, Tiffany buckles under the pressures of motherhood after coming home and Lisa Owens has a dramatic face-to-face meeting with her slain husband’s step mother. All of those elements will be featured during tonight’s program which will air at 8:00 p.m. CT/9:00 p.m. ET on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

The second segment of the Lisa Owens story on the “Breaking Down the Bars” program will be broadcast tonight at 8:00 p.m. on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Owens was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison for the shooting death of her husband, Jeff.

In the first segment, Owens met with her sister and they discussed the future after her release from the Rockville Correctional Facility.

America got its first look at Lisa Owens behind bars Tuesday night on the new Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). Owens was filmed on location at the Rockville Correctional Facility as part of a series entitled “Breaking Down the Bars”.

The episode reviewed the crime that led to her incarceration at Rockville which was the shooting of her husband, Jeff, in their Knox home. For that crime, she was sentenced to 40 years behind bars, but she is being given an early release after serving just ten years.

The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) will feature former Knox resident, Lisa Owens, tonight on the “Breaking Down the Bars”. The program features eight inmates incarcerated at the Rockville Correctional Center.

Owens, who is eligible for release this year because of a modification of her 40 year sentence, was convicted of shooting her husband, Jeff, while he was in the shower. The crime took place on May 18th, 2001. The case was heard before then- Starke Circuit Court Judge, David Matsey and was prosecuted by then-Starke County Prosecutor, Kim Hall. She plead guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter. The modification order was signed by Judge Richard Kickbush.

“Three months of news that has shocked the community.” Think of it, since the remains of Sam Hewitt were found in Vietnam, and the identification of the remains of Andy Howes from the same war were made, and now the scheduled release of Lisa Owens from prison.

All three have elicited extreme emotions. From shock, to joy, to bewilderment, and anger. We have probably never had a period of time like this in the history of WKVI Radio.

The Lisa Owens story this week has brought up an interesting question. How did the sentence modification occur?

On May 23rd of 2001, Lisa Owens killed her husband Jeff. On August 8th, Owens and the State entered into a plea agreement that provided that she plead guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter. The agreement called for the Starke Circuit Court to sentence her to 40 years in the Department of Corrections.

A deluge of posts came into the comment area on the WKVI Discussion Board about the story on Lisa Owens yesterday. Owens is the woman who is reportedly going to get an early release from prison after being convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter in the death of her husband in 2001. Owens was sentenced to 40 years by then Starke Circuit Court Judge David Matsey after being found guilty of shooting and killing her husband in the shower. Current Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall was the Prosecutor in the case.

A story that shocked the listening area almost 10 years ago is being updated this week. On May 21st, 2001, Lisa Owens shot and killed her husband Jeff, leaving his body in the shower for several days. In a trial, she was found guilty of an amended charge of Voluntary Manslaughter and sentenced to 40 years in prison.

WKVI News has found out this week that Lisa Owens could be released from the Rockville Correctional Facility as early as May 23rd of this year.